CENTER –- The two-time defending sectional champions entered Tuesday night’s
Class 2A Taylor Sectional opener with a big bullseye on their backs.
The host Titans came out and simply dominated the first half, taking a 35-20
lead into intermission.
Though they were in an unusual position, Tipton’s No.4-ranked Blue Devils let
everyone know in the second half, they would not go quietly.
Sparked by the play of Greg Dickey, Ethan Jacobs and Jake Dye, the Blue Devils
staged a second-half comeback for the ages.
By the time the third quarter ended, Tipton had completely erased the deficit
and owned a 47-44 lead.
The Blue Devils then held on in the fourth quarter to escape Taylor with a 59-57
victory.
Tipton’s 10th straight victory advances the 18-3 Blue Devils into Friday night’s
sectional semifinal where they will face Sheridan (8-12). The Blackhawks drew
the bye. The game will tip off at 7 p.m.
Last night’s game was much different from the Feb. 8 meeting between the Devils
and Titans. That night, Tipton dominated from start to finish in handing the
Titans their worst loss of the season, 68-42.
Entering the tournament, Tipton Coach Brad Dickey expected to see a different
Taylor squad. And that he did..
“It wasn’t a shock to really any of us,” Dickey said of how Taylor played
especially the first half. “We were frustrated that we couldn’t retrieve loose
balls and rebounds. It seemed like their kids came up with every loose ball that
first half.
“We knew they had capable scorers and tough, good players and that we need to
play better.”
The Blue Devils definitely did that. Greg Dickey scored 22 of his game-high 28
points in the second half. The 7-foot Jacobs totaled nine of his 16 points in
the second half. Jake Dye had a couple of big steals and a key layup, and MIke
Crawford came in to score a pair of big baskets in the third quarter.
Taylor pretty much had its way against Tipton’s 2-3 zone defense the first half.
The Titans shot 15-for-28 (54 percent) from the field that included a 3-for-4
effort from 3-point range, in the first half. Taylor also won the battle of the
boards, 20-8, in the first half that included a 9-3 advantage on the offensive
glass.
The Blue Devils’ defense did not let the Titans remain comfortable in the second
half as they picked up their pressure and went to a man-to-man.
“Our defensive pressure, obviously (was the difference in the second half),”
Coach Dickey said. “Jake Dye did a great job defensively. Mike Crawford came in
and made some key plays. Micah Voorhis used his fouls wisely to prevent easy
baskets. Everyone was important.
“We played more man-to-man the second second half. Their zone attitude was
excellent. They knew where to attack us to get shots or rebounds.
“The thing about man-to-man is it can tire out your shooters’ legs but it’s what
we needed so it’s what we did. It helped us to make boxout plays and win the
game.”
Tipton’s man-to-man defense forced Taylor into 8-of-24 (33-percent) shooting in
the second half. But more importantly, the Blue Devils dominated the glass by a
,19-6.
And after converting just 9-of-25 shots (36 percent) in the first half, the Blue
Devils were 14-for-22 (64 percent) in the second half. Tipton also went was
10-of-11 from the free-throw line in the second half.
It was a loose ball picked up by Seth Vautaw who launched a 3-pointer that went
through the net as time expired in the first half that sent Taylor into the
locker room with that 35-20 lead.
It was a more inspired Tipton team that took the floor to start the third
quarter.
Jacobs scored inside and Dickey drained a 3-pointer to quickly cut Taylor’s lead
to 35-25. Tyler Simmons’ three-point play, however, pushed the Titan lead 40-27
with 5:42 remaining in the third quarter.
The Blue Devils then closed out the quarter on a 20-4 run.
Dickey knocked down a 10-footer then fed Jacobs for a dunk. Alexander Hutson
then meshed two free throws to trim the lead to 42-33 at the 3:33 mark of the
third quarter.
Drake Herr’s 16-footer upped the lead to 44-33. But then Reomy Northington, who
led Taylor with 20 points, picked up his third and fourth personal fouls. His
fourth foul led to a three-point play by Dickey.
That three-point play started an 14-0 run. Dickey added two free throws.
Crawford and Dye then had layups before Dickey added a layup of his own to even
the score at 44-all with 1:05 left to play in the third quarter. Dickey had 14
of Tipton’s 27 points in the third quarter.
Jacobs’ free throw broke the tie See Tipton on page 7
and Crawford’s offensive rebound basket at the buzzer put the Blue Devils up
47-44.
Northington’s two free throws cut the lead to 47-46 to start the fourth quarter.
But Dickey answered with a 15-footer and Jacobs scored four straight points to
put the Blue Devils up 53-48 with 4:22 remaining in the game.
Taylor countered with a 7-0 run.
Northington drained a 3-pointer, Herr swished a 10-footer and Vautaw drove in
for a layup that put the Titans on top, 55-53, with 1:57 left to play.
Dickey’s banked in a runner to knot the score at 55-all with 1:45 left to play.
Herr missed at the other end and Connor Rich rebounded for the Blue Devils.
Dickey was then fouled with 41 ticks on the clock. He meshed both ends of the
one-and-bonus to give Tipton a 57-55 lead.
*Taken from The Tribune
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